The Fruit of Authentic Christianity

INTRO: Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits…

• Wolves Don’t Advertise: False Teachers and False Influences lead us astray.

• The Devil does not come dressed in red. He comes as everything that you’ve ever wished for: “For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).

I Never Knew You

Message: 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

• Purpose: self examination … “I DON’T have the fruit.”

A.W. Tozer said: “When people find that after being in the church for years they are not making much progress, they ought to examine themselves and wonder whether they have been truly converted.”

I. Evidences That Neither Prove Nor Disprove One’s Faith        Adapted from John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 2190.

• Visible Morality: Matthew 19:16-21

• Intellectual Knowledge: Romans 1:21

• Religious Involvement: Matthew 25:1-10

• Active Ministry: Matthew 7:21-24

• Conviction of Sin: Acts 24:25

• Assurance: Matthew 23

• Time of Decision: Luke 8:13, 14

                                                II. The Fruit/Proofs of Authentic/True Christianity:

• Love for God: Luke 10:27

• Repentance from Sin:2 Corinthians 7:10

• Genuine Humility:Matthew 5:1-12

• Devotion to God’s Glory: 1 Corinthians 10:31  

• Continual Prayer:Philippians 4:6

• Selfless Love: 1 John 2:9

• Separation from the World:James 4:4

• Spiritual Growth: John 15:1-6

• Obedient Living: 1 John 2:3-5

TRANSITION: “He who says, ‘I know Him’, but does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him.”

Closing:    NOW THE ENCOURAGEMENT: Built on the Rock

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

Though the storms come…Though the rains descends…Though the winds beats…HE WILL NEVER LEAVE:

1. Speak His Name: darkness flees, demons tremble, when we speak His name. That name is LOVE…That name is GRACE. That name is FORGIVENESS. Oh…that name…we are here because of that name. We worship because of that name.

2. THERE IS A GREATER NAME: Buddha, Hare Krishna, Dali Lama, Joseph Smith, Charles Taze Russell, the POPE.

He moves MOUNTAINS, HE CALMS THE SEA, HE RESTORES THE WEAK, HE REBUILDS THE BROKEN-HEARTED, HE HEARS THE CRIES OF HIS CHILDREN     [“Daddy!! …“I’m here son.”]

3. HE IS YOUR SAVIOR, HE IS YOUR HEALER, HE IS YOUR HOPE, HE IS YOUR PEACE, HE IS YOUR FREEDOM.

Oh, that Name!